AFTERMATH: Crossbow gameplay (2 mins) and details

[Rapturous Rich]

Isn't it about time Aftermath got its own sub-forum at the top?

Anyway, here's 2 minutes of Crossbow gameplay for you:

BF3 Premium crossbow gameplay trailer - YouTube

BF3 Premium crossbow gameplay trailer - YouTube

And details from the Battlefield blog on the crossbow bolt types:

Four bolts let you adapt to any situation
Once you have unlocked the new crossbow via the Assignment Sticks and Stones [Perform X], you will have immediate access to the standard barbed crossbow bolt.
While we wouldn’t recommend anyone being hit by this bolt, it has a rather pronounced bullet drop bolt drop and therefore limited range. The other three bolt types for the crossbow are individually unlocked by Assignments, and you can bring both your crossbow and all associated bolts back with you to the base game.

The high explosive bolt is a short range bolt laden with C4, exploding on impact. While not packing as much punch as an RPG shot or C4 charge, it still gives Assault players (who normally only have grenades in way of explosives) a chance to destroy vehicles or blow holes in the terrain to make tactical use of the destruction in Battlefield 3.

Then there’s the scan bolt, featuring a tip that includes a radio emitter, scanning the nearby area for enemies (in a 10 meter radius to be exact).

Finally, the double feathered aerodynamic balanced bolt gives any class the ability to deliver deadly force at extreme range. For the Engineer class, for example, this means a rare chance to broaden their play style by adding long range engagement to what they already excel at: repairing/destroying vehicles and medium range combat.


In this manner, the four different bolts and the crossbow become a jack of all trades solution suitable for any class. While none of the available bolts are as powerful as the standard weapons they mimic (a genuine sniper rifle will always be more powerful than a sniper bolt, for example), the ability to switch bolt type on the fly means any class can adapt to any situation. We are super excited about this new addition to Battlefield and are eager to see how it will shape gameplay online, both in Aftermath and when bringing it back to the base game.

1) Here's hoping, unlike Armoured Kill, we actually get to bring this back to the base game, eh?
2) Love how the guy takes out the Little Bird at the end there.
3) I'm excited.

[BBDrew84]

Originally Posted by Rapturous Rich

1) Here's hoping, unlike Armoured Kill, we actually get to bring this back to the base game, eh?
2) Love how the guy takes out the Little Bird at the end there.
3) I'm excited.

1) I really would not be too upset if we could not bring this weapon to other maps. But could you imagine it on Bazaar/Seine? Rubble raining down everywhere.
2) Yeah, that was tits
3) Fuck YES! Me two.
4) Explosive bolt detonates upon impact! Awesome

[Rapturous Rich]

I want it in the base game because I decided from the moment it was announced that I want it in my top 5 weapons so I really don't want it to be exclusive to Aftermath. I already bring rubble down like a boss on Seine and Bazaar and I'd love to be able to do it with a wee little crossbow!
I imagine though, the badmins will ban it from virtually every map rotation though...

I was pretty sure it detonated on impact anyway from the sneak peaks we saw, there was no sign of a clacker or whatever else.

Also, the new skins are awesome. Love how the Russian support guy doesn't have his ominous balaclava any more. And some other guy's face is all cut open and bleeding.

[BBDrew84]

Originally Posted by Rapturous Rich

I want it in the base game because I decided from the moment it was announced that I want it in my top 5 weapons so I really don't want it to be exclusive to Aftermath.

I was just watching a Level Cap Video and he mentioned it has been confirmed that you can use the Xbow across all maps. Not sure where he got his intel from but I feel he is a pretty unbiased Youtuber so I am confident he is not really selling us a load of bull. Here is the video he was talking about it in:

On The Level - Recoil Talk + More Crossbow Banter (Battlefield 3 Gameplay/Commentary) - YouTube

On The Level - Recoil Talk + More Crossbow Banter (Battlefield 3 Gameplay/Commentary) - YouTube

It is at about 15:40 where he is talking about the Xbow across all Maps

[Opiate42]

Originally Posted by BBDrew84

1) I really would not be too upset if we could not bring this weapon to other maps. But could you imagine it on Bazaar/Seine? Rubble raining down everywhere.
2) Yeah, that was tits
3) Fuck YES! Me two.
4) Explosive bolt detonates upon impact! Awesome

Originally Posted by Rapturous Rich

I want it in the base game because I decided from the moment it was announced that I want it in my top 5 weapons so I really don't want it to be exclusive to Aftermath.

Verbatim. Literally.

The crossbow is a weapon that BEGS to be mastered.

[SeductiveNoodle]

Wow, this looks like a lot of fun to use! I wonder who is going to master it first, Rich or HighsounD?

Also at 1:07 in the video, there appears to be a new dog tag and at 1:57 in the kill feed at the top right there is something called the "Phoenix". I guessing that is one of the civilian vehicles?

[Opiate42]

Originally Posted by SeductiveNoodle

Wow, this looks like a lot of fun to use! I wonder who is going to master it first, Rich or HighsounD?

Also at 1:07 in the video, there appears to be a new dog tag and at 1:57 in the kill feed at the top right there is something called the "Phoenix". I guessing that is one of the civilian vehicles?

Think the Phoenix is indeed a new vehicle. Like a Mad Max minivan or something.

Wonder if some currently un-announced new skins are going to be spiked hockey and football pads.... that would rock.

Rich or High? Tough call.

[H0p3sfalL]

Maybe this is what I need to start playing BF again. Been a while since I last played it.

[WickedD365]

This looks awesome!
I was on the fence of it when it was announced, but now I'm pumped.
Can't wait to destroy some people with this.

[HighsounD]

Rich will master it first, because my BF3 carrier is coming to an end.

Most of you know that I was originally a Halo-player and with H4 coming out in a week I am going to put all my gametime into that one, at least for a couple of months. I will of course alternate and play some BF3 from time to time but I won't be the supertryhard MLG player that I've been for the past couple of months.

And totally off topic here, I made Rich pee his pants earlier by going ham with the LSAT on Metro, such a good weapon. Clickity Click Linkity Link

[B A R 4 D]

This is going to be one "explosive" Christmas..

[Rapturous Rich]

Originally Posted by HighsounD

Rich will master it first, because my BF3 carrier is coming to an end.

Most of you know that I was originally a Halo-player and with H4 coming out in a week I am going to put all my gametime into that one, at least for a couple of months. I will of course alternate and play some BF3 from time to time but I won't be the supertryhard MLG player that I've been for the past couple of months.

And totally off topic here, I made Rich pee his pants earlier by going ham with the LSAT on Metro, such a good weapon. Clickity Click Linkity Link

It's a shame, really. We've had some good times on BF3 and I'm not so sure on Halo 4 yet, never been too big on the franchise.

That game of Metro was excellent though. I managed what you did, just once, with the M60. Bipod, end of that mini-tunnel. Death. Did you receive any rage, by chance?
I made a redneck rage hard earlier. Told him to stop using simply his mother and sister for the gene pool before getting mad over a video game then he changed his tune and got all polite with me...

Crossbow mastery, here I come!

NB: Just 26 Mortar kills from the medal and 53 SMAW kills from mastery now.

[Psychko Bob]

Yes yes yes, it's all very nice, but can you stick enemies to walls and passing MBT's?

It just won't make the grade unless I can pin an enemy to a low flying helo, and watch their ragdoll body being flown all over the battlefield...

[Dog Face]

Well I'm excited for it even more now.

[secretkaos187]

That bow looks pretty epic! But I do see the Trollness in it. I hope that the new skins carry over to Non-AM maps as well.

[purpleinsect]

Definitely going to try and master it!

[BBDrew84]

Battlefield 3: Aftermath Gameplay (HD) - YouTube

Battlefield 3: Aftermath Gameplay (HD) - YouTube

Here is some new and old gameplay footage of Aftermath. Some of the new maps that they have not shown before look really cool. There is a map with a "King of the Hill", not the tv show but childhood playground game, type area which is probably what they meant by Vertical Gameplay

[WickedD365]

Like the new video. Lots of action and mayhem.

Looks like it may a secondary weapon. At about 1:21 in the video he switch from the bow to a PDW. If so that's even better.

[Opiate42]

Whew damn! Making me drool.

Okay, call me an idiot all you want but I never noticed before they actually show the tags themselves being taken away as you knife. As many tags as I've taken I've never noticed this, it happens so fast.

New to the DLC? PC only? or have I just NOT seen it in over 600 hours of tagging noobs...

Either way... nice touch.

[WickedD365]

Originally Posted by Opiate42

Whew damn! Making me drool.

Okay, call me an idiot all you want but I never noticed before they actually show the tags themselves being taken away as you knife. As many tags as I've taken I've never noticed this, it happens so fast.

New to the DLC? PC only? or have I just NOT seen it in over 600 hours of tagging noobs...

Either way... nice touch.

PC only. SUCKS!!!

[Zm4rc0]

no, its not!

*ur right, I just checked...

[Rapturous Rich]

Originally Posted by Opiate42

Okay, call me an idiot all you want but I never noticed before they actually show the tags themselves being taken away as you knife. As many tags as I've taken I've never noticed this, it happens so fast.

New to the DLC? PC only? or have I just NOT seen it in over 600 hours of tagging noobs...

What do you think we've been doing all this time?
I noticed it pretty early on with some of the prone takedowns since you quite clearly stab with one hand and snatch with another. The one's where you take the tags with your blade are PC exclusive though.
What I love is the amount of detail they put into those animations. For 1-2 seconds you see everything happen in your foe's face. Surprise, shock, fear, death.
CBA to find it but check out "A Beautiful Death" by Pixel Enemy on YouTube. You'll see what I'm on about.

[mark197205]

Originally Posted by purpleinsect

Definitely going to try and master it!

There are two masteries for the xbow, one each for the scoped and unscoped versions.

[xNICO1337x]

Been playing some gun master with the Sniper Heaven preset checked. So far I got 11 kills with the xbow. It's really nice, 1hk close up and deals quite a lot of damage mid range.